Unfortunate Fortune
by tillysh
Summary: When Joan goes out for takeout she stumbles upon a car wreck that will change her and Sherlock's lives. (Starts off rather tragedy/hurt/comfort/drama but will progress into romance/family/humour. Joanlock.)
1. Chapter 1

_**I had a lot of people requesting for me to write an Elementary fic which was great as I love this show, but my other account has a lot of Nashville followers so I decided to make a new account just for my Elementary stories. If you want to check out my other account its: natbenson**_

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 _When Joan goes out to for takeout she stumbles upon a car wreck that will change her and Sherlock's lives.  
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 **Chapter 1**

"Sherlock I'll be back in 15 minutes, 20 tops, is there anything else you want?" Joan asks placing her scarf around her neck before fighting with her coat sleeve that refuses to let her arm through.

Sherlock appears in the hallway "Yes, please ask them for extra fortune cookies" he smiles whilst helping her into her coat

"You don't even like them?" Joan smirks lifting her hair out of her coat letting it fall over her shoulders

"No but I do rather enjoy reading the so called _fortunes_ " he emphasises with an air quote

"Okay" Joan smiles rolling her eyes turning to leave. "What time is it? My watch has stopped"

"9:46pm" he nods checking his watch

"Thanks, oh and will you please take Clyde out of my shoe and stop pretending it's his boat" pointing into the living room where the pet tortoise was occupying the shoe.

"He enjoys it" Sherlock says before closing the door behind her.

"I swear it's like living with a five year old" Joan mumbles as she hurries down the steps and onto the sidewalk

After a couple of blocks she turns the corner, pulling her gloves out of her pocket, she notices a commotion further ahead. Squinting her eyes she sees the upturned car, dropping her gloves she breaks into a run.

Joan reaches the car and takes in its appearance, lying on its roof, the back smashed in and the bottom of the car which is now the top is caved in and notices a young woman sprawled on the floor next to the car, glass shards surrounding her. Kneeling down she takes her pulse, letting out a heavy sigh when she finds there isn't one. As she sees a couple more people come out of their houses, shock evident on their faces, she reaches into her pocket for her phone to call the police.

"Hello, there's been an accident…" when putting the phone back in her pocket she hears a muffled cry

Joan walks around the car seeing another girl no older than 21 crushed beneath the car, only her head, shoulders and one arm visible. Blood matting her forehead, eyes wide and watery.

"Hello? Are you okay?" Joan shouts

"I can't, I can't get out I'm stuck" the girl cries

"I called for help they should be here soon just hold on. What's your name?" Joan asks bending down to half lie on the floor to see the girls face

"Natalie" the girl breathes, wincing slightly

"Hi Natalie, I'm Joan" she smiles warmly "What happened?"

"We, we were just driving back to our dorm and this van came out of nowhere and then we flipped and we hit something… my friend? Is she okay? She went straight through the windshield I couldn't, I can't…" she begins to hyperventilate, tears streaming down her cheeks

"Hey sweetie, Natalie I need you to calm down for me otherwise you might…"

"… Lose consciousness and that wouldn't be good with the state I'm in due to my injuries and head trauma" Natalie interrupts causing Joan to smile

"You studying to be a doctor?" Joan asks finding a comfier position on the floor being mindful of the glass

"Nurse" she winces "Are you? A doctor I mean?" she shivers as the cold breeze hits her

"Can someone get me a blanket and two pillows?" Joan calls to the small crowd of people, some waiting for the police, some just being nosy

"I was a doctor" Joan smiles gratefully as an older woman rushes over to her with a couch pillow and woolly blanket before hurrying back towards her house as Joan asks her to check where the ambulance is and ask them to send the fire department.

Joan gently places a pillow on either side of Natalie's head asking her to try and not lift her head and covers the rest of her body not trapped beneath the car with the blanket.

"Thank you" Natalie whispers before turning her head to the side as a coughing fit racks over her body. Her face pales and fear covers her features as she feels the blood trickle out of her mouth

"Joan?" she asks staring up at the older woman wide eyed

Joan stares down at her, the terrified girl looking up at her fear masking her face along with the gash on her forehead that refuses to stop bleeding; trying to hide her worry she smiles slightly grabbing hold of her hand.

"Sssh look at me, it's okay. Talk to me, how old are you?"

"I'm 20, how old are you?" Natalie tries to smirk but it comes across more of a grimace

"Ha nice try" Joan laughs squeezing her hand

"You… said talk" Natalie gasps slightly her breathing getting shallower

"I'm 41" Joan smiles "Do you have a boyfriend?" she glances up down the street, hearing sirens in the distance

Natalie's eyes tear up "He died, 6 months ago Elliot went back in to the army and, and I got a phone call 2 months later" letting out a shaky breath she looks Joan square in the eyes "Kate, my friend… she's dead isn't she?"

"I'm so sorry" Joan whispers

Natalie lets out a deep breath mixed with a sob. Feeling a sharp pain in her side she lets out a cry.

"I need to get out… I have too, I have to get out somethings wrong" she panics

"It's okay help is coming just…"

"No I, I'm pregnant and it, somethings wrong I have to get out" she cries

Joan stares at Natalie, knowing that if she doesn't get out soon things will take a drastic turn for the worst. Hearing sirens approaching she whips her head up to look down the street. Turning back to tell Natalie that they're almost here she sees her eyes flutter shut, panicking she strokes her cheek over and over.

"Don't do this to me now come on, wake up" seeing her eyes open she lets out the breath she was holding. "Good girl"

"Hurts" she mumbles

"I know it does" trying to distract her and keep her talking "Do you have a name picked out?" Joan asks brushing away the hair that's matted to the blood on Natalie's forehead

"I wanted to call her El for short, you know for her dad but I didn't like Ellie or Ella…" she tries to take a breath in, feeling the shooting pain in her chest "… so I was thinking Elora"

"I like it, very unique" Joan encourages

"Kate was going to be the godmother so I decided on Elora Kate" Natalie smiles sleepily

Joan, not noticing anyone coming up behind her feels a hand on her shoulder.

"Miss? We're going to have to ask you to move over there whilst we cut her out" the fireman smiles politely but the worry in his eyes unease's her

Seeing a couple of paramedics rush over she lets go of Natalie's hand and moves to stand up.

"Joan?" Natalie panic turning her head

"It's okay, I'll be right over here, they're going to get you out. Try to lay very still for me okay"

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 **Review?**

 _ **I'm not sure how old Joan is supposed to be but I know Lucy is 46 even though she doesn't look it so I just went with 41, if there's any other age you want me to change it to I will**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Previously –**_

" _Sherlock I'll be back in 15 minutes, 20 tops, is there anything else you want?" Joan asks placing her scarf around her neck before fighting with her coat sleeve that refuses to let her arm through._

 _Sherlock appears in the hallway "Yes, please ask them for extra fortune cookies" he smiles whilst helping her into her coat_

… _Squinting her eyes she sees the upturned car, dropping her gloves she breaks into a run._

" _Hello? Are you okay?" Joan shouts_

" _I can't, I can't get out I'm stuck" the girl cries_

" _I called for help they should be here soon just hold on"_

… " _I need to get out… I have too, I have to get out somethings wrong" she panics_

" _It's okay help is coming just…"_

" _No I, I'm pregnant and it, somethings wrong I have to get out" she cries_

… " _Miss? We're going to have to ask you to move over there whilst we cut her out" the fireman smiles politely but the worry in his eyes unease's her_

 _Seeing a couple of paramedics rush over she lets go of Natalie's hand and moves to stand up._

" _Joan?" Natalie panics turning her head_

" _It's okay, I'll be right over here, they're going to get you out. Try to lay very still for me okay"_

 **Chapter 2**

Joan looks on as they start cutting through the car before looking over at the coroner van, feeling a hand on her shoulder she snaps out of her revere.

"Miss?" an officer asks waiting for Joan to acknowledge him "I'm Officer Reynolds, do you know what happened here?"

Joan opens her mouth to speak. "Joan" hearing her name she whips her head around and spots Captain Gregson and Detective Bell walking over to her.

"Are you okay?" Bell asks looking her over for any sign of injury

"I'm fine." Turning back to the young officer "I don't know what happened, when I turned the corner the car was already upturned, I didn't see the other car" Seeing the paramedics strapping Natalie to a stretcher she runs over. "Can I ride?" receiving a yes she walks towards the ambulance before turning back to Gregson who followed her over

"Wait, Sherlock…" she starts but Gregson holds up his hand stopping her "I'll call him"

"Thanks" she smiles slightly. Getting into the back of the ambulance before it drives away

Gregson pulls out his phone and grimaces at Bell, when they'd gotten the call from a woman telling them Joan Watson asked her to call informing of an accident they'd thought the worst. Sherlock picks up almost instantly.

" _Watson, if the extra fortune cookies are too much trouble just lea…"_

"Sherlock, I need you to come down to Mount Sinai"

" _Watson? Is she alright?"_

Gregson hears the panic in Sherlock's voice There was an accident, don't worry she's fine…" Gregson calms before he is interrupted

" _I'm on my way"_

Sherlock stands frozen by the stairs, nervously his hands flex by his sides. He knew she should have been back earlier, 12 minutes earlier in fact.

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Joan sits in the waiting room where she finally notices the blood on her hands, if she doesn't get it off soon it'll start to dry, she just stares at them for a while, snapping out of it when she hears someone calling her name.

Sherlock briskly walks through the ER, trying to locate his partner. "Watson?" he spots her in the corner looking intently at her hands "Watson" coming to a stop in front of her he looks down at her hands and back to her face, eyes searching hers. "Are you alright Watson?"

She nods slightly but then more forcefully when she notices the concern etched on his face. He sits down next to her and pulls out a handkerchief, he gently takes her hands into his and tries his best to wipe the blood off. Joan's mouth falls open slightly in shock, her eyes transfixed on his face watching his eyebrow crease in concentration.

"What happened?" he murmurs still looking down at her hands

"A van ran in to a car with two young girls in, Kate, she was already gone when I got there and Natalie, it doesn't look good, in the ambulance she… but she's pregnant" Joan sighs thanking Sherlock who has managed to wipe her hands clean. He leans back slightly and smiles at her sympathetically. "She's just a kid, it's not fair" she whispers

"You did what you could to help" he nods, she opens her mouth to protest but he cuts her off "I know you Watson, this was not your fault and you did everything you could"

"Family of Natalie Wilson?" A man in blue scrubs scans the waiting room

Joan jumps up and walks over to him "Is she okay?"

"Are you family?" He questions with a short smile

"No, I was with her in the ambulance" he nods at her

"Joan Watson?" he asks receiving a nod. He looks down slightly. That's never good.

"Natalie had lost a lot of blood, she had extensive injuries as well as internal bleeding. It was all too much on her body. I'm sorry we did everything we could"

Joan takes in a sharp breath and nods "The baby?"

"We delivered the baby before we began operating. She's been taken to the NICU. There is a nurse expecting you, she can answer any questions you have" smiling sympathetically he places a hand on her shoulder before going back through the double doors.

Turning around she almost bumps into Sherlock, not realizing he had been stood behind her. "Are you okay?" she smiles unconvincingly and he offers her his arm. She links her arm through his and leans in to him as they walk towards the elevators.

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Joan walks in to the small room inside the NICU; having spoken to another nurse outside, she's been told a little bit about the situation regarding the baby girl. Pulling the hospital gown over her shoulders she walks slowly over to the incubator smiling at an older nurse whose name tag reads: Annie Matthews

"How does this all work?" Joan asks peering down at the sleeping baby, eyes tearing slightly and the sight of all the wires

"Well the easiest way to explain it is, it's sort of like stork drop adoption, were the adoptive parents get told about the baby right at the last minute. Natalie Wilson was adamant on signing her parental rights and guardianship over to you before they took her into surgery" Annie states reading the file

"She only just met me" Joan whispers confused "I, I have an unpredictable work schedule, I work with the police and I don't even have anything…" she trails off willing herself to calm down

"Natalie didn't have any family, she was an only child, both her parents had no siblings, they died in 2009 and her grandparents have both since passed on. If you choose not to take her, and that is an option" Annie soothes watching the younger woman "She will go to child protective services and most likely be placed with a foster family until an adoptive family is found, worst case scenario she ends up in the system" Joan's head whips up at the mention of this poor baby ending up in the system

"No" she shakes her head "I can do this" she turns back towards the little girl, her eyes roaming over her tiny frame

"So, what should I write on this little darlings tag?" the older nurse asks trying to lighten the mood

"Huh?" Joan mumbles tearing her eyes away from the small baby to look at Annie

"Her name?" she smiles watching Joan's face go blank

"Oh, um…"

"It's okay" she soothes patting Joan's hand "I can come back later" putting the 'Baby Girl' card back on the incubator

"Wait" Joan turns to smile at the woman "Elora" she watches Annie walk back over to pick up the pen, taking out the card again

"Elora Kate" she nods watching the nurse smile. Finishing up she places the card back on the incubator – Baby: Elora Kate, Mother: Joan Watson, DOB: 11/30/2015, Time: 22:13, Weight: 4lbs 2oz, Length: 17 inches

"She's tiny" Joan whispers

"She is, but she's strong. She's going to be okay" Annie soothes taking hold of Joan's shaking hand

"Are you sure?" she turns to look Annie in the eye

"Yes" Annie states confidently "Her breathing is fine; her eyesight and hearing is fine, the accident hasn't caused any injuries or problems. We're just going to keep her in the NICU for a couple of weeks due to her weight, normal procedure for premature babies. We've given her steroids to help develop her lungs. But as I said she is breathing completely fine on her own so you can sit and hold her" she smiles

Joan stares at her; she's a mother, of this tiny defenceless baby. She hadn't really thought about children, not for a while anyway what with her work with Sherlock…

"Sherlock" Joan whispers alarmed. "Can you stay with her a second? I'll be right back" walking back into the waiting room she sees Sherlock sat up straight with his head tilted back, mouth agape and fast asleep. She checks her watch and sees that she was in the NICU for over an hour.

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 **I didn't realize how long had passed since i'd posted chapter 1, sorry 'bout that. Reviews are always most welcome :)**


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